What to do for 3 days in Scotland?

**guitarmatt** · 27th March 10, 01:42 AM

Week after next I'll be getting a little break from stay-at-home-dadding as my wife takes care of the kid for 3 days. As I've not really seen much of Scotland outside of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, and St Andrews, I'd like to take advantage of my right to roam before we finally head back to the states. We'll probably all go to Isle of Mull for a few days before I take my time off, so I'm thinking of spending some more time in the western Highlands and islands. I'm also thinking of heading up to the north-east since that's where my family originally emigrated from. In any event, I'll have to be entirely dependent on public transit, my legs, and maybe my bike if I plan the trip around some riding. With that in mind, here are a few questions:

1. How visitor friendly is Islay? It's a bit out of the way, but the home of my favourite whiskies for sure. How about Skye without a car? Talisker's nice, too.
2. Will it be warm enough to do a fair bit of walking, 15 or so miles a day, anywhere in the Highlands in a week or 2? Rain gear of course will be a must, but I don't mind getting a bit wet. I'm thinking of doing a bit of the Speyside trail, since that's my second favourite sort of whisky.
3. What sort of accommodation could I find? Should I plan well and book B&Bs ahead of time or will I be able to just wander as I'm led and find a place to sleep when the day's over?

I'm sure I'll think up more questions later on, but the cafe downstairs just opened and the little man is hungry. Thanks ahead of time for your input!

**Jock Scot** · 27th March 10, 02:21 AM

Go North young man! OK three days does not give you much time. So my advice is to station yourself somewhere along the Great Glen( Fort William to Inverness) area.Now I am not saying that that is the best area necessarily, but given your time constraint that is in my view your best bet. There is a huge chunk of Scotland above that line and wonderful though it is, you will need more time than you have to see it. As Easter is nearly upon us accommodation might be a bit tricky to find, but not impossible.B&B's will give you the best value and I must say the area seems very quiet up here at the moment.

Islay is a super place and ultra friendly as is Scotland in general, just don't expect a band to greet you. To see Skye you really do need a car and TIME!

BE WARNED! IN THE HIGHLANDS fuel is not easily found! When you have used half a tank fill up at the FIRST fuel stop you see. ALWAYS start the day with a full tank. Public transport is alright as long as you don't get too adventurous. If you are going by rail BE WARNED that there is no rail connection between Inverness and Fort William.Yes trains go to both places, but the 60 miles beteen them are not connected! Incidentally the train trip from Glasgow to Fort William is well worth doing and to those that know about these things, it has a world wide reputation.

Now without sounding like a boring old fuddy duddy, the hills are fine to walk in at this time of year, BUT they are probably at their most dangerous. Snow is melting fast, the burns(streams) will rise and fall alarmingly.There is an avalanche risk(slight) and the weather changes at the blink of an eye, blizzards still happen even in May! On the high tops it will still be below freezing all day. Good kit, maps, compass and common sense will all be required, as always on the hill, but at the moment there is no room to be casual about venturing out.

**Schiehallion** · 27th March 10, 03:18 AM

Excellent advice Jock.

There is a TV programme called HIGHLAND RESCUE which shows many a case of walkers being caught out by the rapid change of weather from sunny afternoon to rain and blizzard.

**guitarmatt** · 27th March 10, 06:09 AM

Thanks for the input. I figured that might be the case about the weather. I'll probably get another few free days in July when the weather's better, and maybe tackle a long walk then.

A few more points:
1. I won't be able to drive. I've been in the UK long enough that I can't drive with my US license anymore.
2. Once the Jacobite steam train starts running in a few months, we're going to go visit Fort William for that, so no matter what I'll be sure to get up that way.

So I'm starting to think islands whisky trip this time around. Do you think that'd be doable without a car?

**Jock Scot** · 27th March 10, 06:26 AM

Originally Posted by guitarmatt

Thanks for the input. I figured that might be the case about the weather. I'll probably get another few free days in July when the weather's better, and maybe tackle a long walk then.

A few more points:
1. I won't be able to drive. I've been in the UK long enough that I can't drive with my US license anymore.
2. Once the Jacobite steam train starts running in a few months, we're going to go visit Fort William for that, so no matter what I'll be sure to get up that way.

So I'm starting to think islands whisky trip this time around. Do you think that'd be doable without a car?

I can't give you too much advice about what goes on on the Islands these days, but there used to be a very modest bus service on most of them. Be warned that depending on which island, or maybe the personal view of the bus driver, not much happens on a Sunday and that may include no bus service. Check it out if you are planning venturing out on a Sunday.

OK save FW for another time. Then, if you wish, go to the East coast (Inverness side by train)Culloden is just outside the city as is Fort George, Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness etc.. Or, go further East but a bit South to Aberdeen and venture out from there.

**sfb** · 27th March 10, 06:55 AM

Three days would be tight to try and see much of more than one island, I'd have thought. Part of the problem of course is that you have to get to wherever the ferry leaves from in the first place, and without your own transport that'll be time consuming in itself. From Glasgow it's about a two & a half hour drive to Oban for the Mull ferry, for example, but once you factor in ferry timetables you really have to spend the bulk of one day travelling.

I've never been to Islay, but I've heard good reports, and there's no shortage of distilleries there. Reasonably helpful summary and links on the Calmac website - they also mention a whisky hopscotch ticket, if you can find the time!

**guitarmatt** · 27th March 10, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by sfb

Three days would be tight to try and see much of more than one island, I'd have thought. Part of the problem of course is that you have to get to wherever the ferry leaves from in the first place, and without your own transport that'll be time consuming in itself. From Glasgow it's about a two & a half hour drive to Oban for the Mull ferry, for example, but once you factor in ferry timetables you really have to spend the bulk of one day travelling.

I've never been to Islay, but I've heard good reports, and there's no shortage of distilleries there. Reasonably helpful summary and links on the Calmac website - they also mention a whisky hopscotch ticket, if you can find the time!

Yeah, 3 days will be tight, but it'll follow 3 days on Mull. Basically I think I'll just extend my trip a bit longer and send the kid and his mama home. Thanks for the Calmac link, the Hopscotch tickets look like a good deal, and bikes go for free. I'll look into them when I'm working out transport.

**sfb** · 27th March 10, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by guitarmatt

Yeah, 3 days will be tight, but it'll follow 3 days on Mull. Basically I think I'll just extend my trip a bit longer and send the kid and his mama home. Thanks for the Calmac link, the Hopscotch tickets look like a good deal, and bikes go for free. I'll look into them when I'm working out transport.

I'd missed that you were going to be in Mull already! Saves a bit of travelling at one end.

If you have time when you're there, and you don't mind relatively wee boats on the relatively open sea, the trip to Staffa is well worth it. I think they start running the trips around Easter. Apart from anything else, it's another island for your list, but it's a fascinating trip for geological, wildlife, and historical reasons. Mind you, I'm biased, because it was an ambition of mine for ages to see Fingal's Cave, and I also choose to believe that it is indeed the other end of the Giants Causeway, which me & my beloved visited a few years ago.

And if you can't celebrate potential celtic connections on this site, where can you?

**MacLowlife** · 27th March 10, 06:18 AM

Matt, you might consider Speyside whisky trips. Take the train to Aviemore and loop around to Inverness on your bike. It's not far, but it is great country and there are many distilleries. Good luck.

**ForresterModern** · 27th March 10, 08:29 AM

I cannot help with respect to where and how, but my suggestion to the title of your post would be:

1. wear kilts
2. drink fine scotch whiskey.
3. seek beautiful scenery

not necessarily in that order, but to the maximum ability in all three cases.

Enjoy the trip. Pictures are a must.

j